Showing 97-192 of 485 items found in Arts & Culture

Built in 1926, this historic ballroom quickly became Chicago's premier place for world-renowned live entertainment. Its unique architecture, design and ambiance have made it a multiuse facility that often hosts live concerts.

The second-largest art museum in the United States is home to more than 300,000 works of art, including “American Gothic” by Grant Wood, Edward Hopper's “Nighthawks” and more. Renowned for its rare master works, at The Art Institute visitors can experience one of the world’s most notable collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. With the addition of its Modern Wing, the museum now features an impressive showcase for its contemporary artworks.

Exhibitions and presentations of contemporary photography are supported by grants from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs/Gallery 37, the Illinois Arts Council and the National Endowment of the Arts. See these works at the museum located at Columbia College.

Raven Theatre is committed to presenting the range of modern drama from Ibsen to the most current playwrights on the rise. Through a vigorous program of full productions and new play development, as well as a first class theatre education series Raven creates a powerful and welcoming environment in which artists hone their skills, young students gain valuable insights into theatre arts, and patrons experience high quality programming that is easily accessible to all. Features 160 seat mainstage space and a 60 seat studio theatre.

Enchanted dining experiences await guests at this contemporary American restaurant. Located atop the John Hancock Center, it offers the best view of the city of Chicago. Live jazz, elegant dark wood and marble tiled artdeco interior compliments the mood.

Find a lot of standing-room shows of predominantly rock bands that play to packed crowds. Play pool, watch the evening's performance on a video screen downstairs, or simply check out the music scene with beer in hand.

A Chicago blues institution that encourages its patrons to "hear the blues, drink booze and talk loud." Kingston Mines is a prime site for viewing celebrities out for a night on the town with more than 40 years in the business.

A spacious, sophisticated saloon atmosphere, a deliciously varied menu and Chicago's finest Live Jazz! Dining is delightfully casual, served with Live Jazz steps from Michigan Avenue, rub shoulders with celebs and jazz buffs from around the world. Andy's renown is international.

Owned by legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy, Legends exemplifies and electrifies the best of Chicago blues, seven nights a week. Here you’ll find an amazing collection of blues memorabilia, a great Cajun menu and maybe even Buddy himself on stage.

Blue Chicago is located near Ontario street’s restaurant row. Chicago's best blues artist star in this safe and friendly club. It is popular with blues fans all over the world. The low cover charge is good for admission to both Blue Chicago locations.

Intimate, upscale atmosphere - Chicago's finest live entertainment venue. The Back Room entertains Chicago with live band music 7 nights a week, two shows a night! They also offer a light food menu, dancing, late night music on the weekends, and top notch service. For over 45 years The Back Room has been the place to go if you are looking for an incredible evening of live music. Guests enter down a long brick alleyway where they are greeted by our host and led into our Showcase Lounge. Our host can accommodate groups of all sizes at our lounge tables or if you’d prefer to be up and dancing you can find a spot at the bar. Every night you can expect the very best in Jazz along with an incredible mix of Motown; R&B; Funk; Adult Contemporary and some down home Chicago Blues! All of your favorite music under one roof, performed live 7 nights a week in an intimate upscale atmosphere that guarantees an unforgettable night. If you’re looking for a fun, lively venue for late night dancing head to the Back Room after 1am on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays when the music continues with your favorite Top 40 and hip hop classics! There’s no reason the party has to stop when the bands do!

Sales gallery/shop featuring the work of over 500 Illinois artisans. Established in 1985, was the first shop of its kind in the state, showcasing one of the most diverse collections of handcrafted work in the Midwest.

The Harris Theater continues to host the most diverse offerings of any venue in Chicago, featuring the city's world-renowned music and dance institutions, as well as acclaimed national and international companies.

Enter through the back door under the L train tracks, give the password and experience Chicago during the Roaring '20s. Enjoy dinner and an interactive musical comedy revue with gangsters and flappers.

The gallery's mission is to continue to expose the art community and provide a portal to fine art and artists of different parts of the African Diaspora. A collaborative of artists, collectors and art administrators who have come together to create a unique art experience, and ensure fine art has a place in the rebirth of Bronzeville.

Climb the five-story historic tower on the Michigan Ave. bridge and learn how the Chicago River changed with the city it inspired. You can also view the massive gears that allow the bridge to open. Seasonal May-Oct.

The LaSalle Street Financial Corridor is one of the most visually stunning districts in the city. A long canyon of buildings, unlike any other area of Chicago, terminates at the Chicago Board of Trade Building, the 1930 Art Deco masterpiece by Holabird & Root. A sparkling, stainless-steel sculpture of Ceres, the goddess of grain, by John Storrs (1885-1956) caps the composition, visually focusing this whirling financial district on the commodity that enabled so much of Chicago’s growth. The Board of Trade was named a Chicago Landmark in 1977 and listed to the National Register in 1978. Copy and descriptions courtesy of AIA Illinois and the 150 Great Places in Illinois www.illinoisgreatplaces.com

Housed in a historic landmark mansion on the Gold Coast, the collections and exhibits portray the mysteries and milestones that have shaped modern surgical science. Of special interest to those in the medical field, our collection appeals to anyone interested in the history of surgery by means of art, surgical instruments, architecture, and books.

The Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) is located on the Magnificent Mile in Lewis Towers, a historic 1926 Gothic Revival building. The museum, with 25,000 square feet contains eight main exhibition galleries, the William G. and Marilyn M. Simpson Lecture Hall, the Solomon Cordwell Buenz Library of Sacred Art and Architecture, the Museum Shop, the Push Pin Gallery, and the Harlan J. Berk Ltd. Works on Paper Gallery.

The NIASHF is a museum and educational institution whose mission is to preserving honorable values through sports by honoring and promoting the history and heritage of Italian Americans who have made significant contributions to sports and society.

The Pritzker Military Museum & Library offers books, audiovisuals, prints, regalia, magazines, speakers and online resources concentrating on military history, specifically the role of the Citizen Soldier.

Fashionistas mingle with the suits late night while energetic music radiates. Modern lighting creates a dramatic setting. Le Bar specializes in martinis poured tableside, but is also known for champagne and wine by the glass

The Music Hount has live music nightly with no cover, full menu offering unique woodgire sandwiches, full bar with over 50 beers, 17 HDtvs, and music memorabilia. The Rick Club is an all ages venue. Shows and covers vary, check website for listings. Ask about our 80 passenger rock bus.

360 Chicago's (formerly John Hancock Observatory) epic new attraction that will forever change the way visitors see Chicago. TILT debuts in the spring of 2014, providing the ultimate window to the Windy City. A one-of-a-kind experience, TILT is an enclosed, glass and steel moveable platform that holds up to eight visitors per cycle. Once safely situated inside, the platform slowly tilts outward to an adventurous angle, generating downward-facing views of Chicago – from one thousand feet above The Magnificent Mile®. TILT gives thrill-seekers an exciting and safe way to take in unsurpassable views of the city, from a never-before-seen angle. Check website for opening dates and hours.

One of the nation’s largest facilities devoted to the art of our time, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) offers exhibitions of the most thought-provoking art created since 1945. The MCA documents contemporary visual culture through painting, sculpture, photography, video and film, and performance. Located in the heart of downtown Chicago, the MCA boasts a gift store, bookstore, restaurant, 300-seat theater, and a terraced sculpture garden with a great view of Lake Michigan. The MCA aspires to engage a broad and diverse audience, create a sense of community and be a place for contemplation, stimulation, and discussion about contemporary art and culture.

Discover Sue, the largest and most complete T. rex ever found! At the Field Museum you can also get a bug's-eye view in the Underground Adventure, descend into an Egyptian tomb, be dazzled in the Hall of Gems, come nose to nose with the infamous man-eating lions of Tsavo, and walk among dinosaurs in Evolving Planet.

Chicago: You Are Here, a permanent exhibition, is free and open to the public daily in the ArcelorMittal CitySpace Gallery from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. Designed to encourage visitors to explore the architecture and infrastructure that make up the environment of Chicago, You Are Here includes a scale model of the Loop, along with bold images, artifacts, and multimedia presentations. Temporary, architecture-themed exhibitions throughout the year. Free and open daily. Check website for details. Full schedule of lectures, workshops, special events and presentations at noon, evenings, and weekends throughout the year. Free or low cost. Check website for listings.

Located in Hyde Park, this stunning Gothic chapel (funded by a gift to the University of Chicago by John D. Rockefeller) hosts regular performances by the Rockefeller Chapel Choir and visiting musical artists.

A world of discovery awaits at the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere. Explore more than 800 exhibits, including the legendary U-505, a German submarine captured on the high seas during World War II; take off on a Boeing 727 airplane for a simulated cross-country flight; descend down a mineshaft for a tour of a realistic coal mine; and witness robots at work in a toy factory. Take a seat at the museum’s Omnimax Theater and watch awesome 3D flicks on a giant screen.

The Midwest’s number-one attraction is the place in Chicago for lakefront fun. Board a sightseeing or dinner cruise boat, and see a live performance at the outdoor Skyline Stage or acclaimed Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Dine at one of Navy Pier’s many boardwalk restaurants and browse the unique shops and stands (a great place to pick up a souvenir).

Since 1979, the playwright's theatre has devoted all of its resources and programming to developing new plays and nurturing playwrights. Celebrating our 30th year, please join us in creating the theatre of the future.

M Lounge is warmly lit with candles, sconces and blue lighting that illuminates the vast selection of spirits. Honey-brown walls, burgundy velvet curtains, comfy sofas and table seating in hues of chocolates and sage make this 1,400 sq. ft. oasis and its 28ft walnut bar cozy and perfect for any occasion.

With year-round programming across three stages, Steppenwolf is a Tony Award-winning Chicago theater known for innovative, artist-driven theatrical productions. Founded by Jeff Perry, Terry Kinney and Gary Sinise in the mid-1970s, the organization evolved from performing in a Highland Park church basement to gaining recognition as the nation’s premier ensemble theater. Steppenwolf is where great acting meets big ideas.

The Blue Man Group features three enigmatic bald and blue characters who take the audience through a multi-sensory experience that combines theatre, percussive music, art, science and vaudeville into a form of entertainment that is like nothing else.

Located in Chicago’s historic Uptown theater district, at the intersection of Racine, Broadway and Lawrence the Riviera Theatre is a central part of the Chicago’s past and present. The Riviera has hosted many of the world’s greatest performers and entertainers throughout the years and is also available for private functions. Its grand design and beauty make it a perfect location for a variety of events.

This architectural gem has been featured in many movies over the years, including Derailed. But it's the marble staircase here—featured in the climatic scene from The Untouchables—that still attracts visitors over 20 years later.

Dolphins soar, belugas dance and penguins parade in Fantasea, the aquatic show at Shedd Aquarium. The marine mammal presentations showcase the natural talents and learned skills of the animals—and their trainers.

Tour Chicago on a cool cruiser-style bicycle and follow a guide who makes brief stops at the most popular sights, providing light-hearted commentary that will keep you entertained. Some fun rides include the Lakefront Neighborhoods Tour, Bikes, Bites and Brews Tour, and the Southside Gangster Tour.

Join us on Chicago's #1 architecture tour! Only the Chicago Architecture Foundation and Chicago's First Lady Cruises can showcase Chicago's world renowned city architecture with style, class and comfort. Learn about the architecture and design of over 50 buildings as described by CAF-certified Volunteer Docents/Guides. Don't settle for imitations, look for the CAF logo. Cruises depart daily. Open-air and air-conditioned seating is available. Full Service Bar onboard each vessel. Cruising April - November. Visit our website for full schedule. For a truly unique CAF Cruise experience, join us for our specialty river cruise experiences, including: Capture Chicago Photography Cruise, summer Saturday and Sunday mornings at 9am; Twilight Cruise, summer Thursday, Friday and Sunday evenings at 7:30pm; American Girl Dinner + River Cruise, select summer afternoon and evenings. For more information, visit www.cruisechicago.com/architecture_tours and view our "NEW for 2014" tab.

Immerse yourself in Chicago's rich history with a live commentated, family-friendly 90-minute tour cruising the Chicago River and Lake Michigan aboard Mercury, Chicago's Skyline Cruiseline. Learn fun facts and hear fascinating tales as you cruise amongst the city's famous architectural giants. Capture incredible photos as only can be experienced from the unique vantage point of the Chicago River, and marvel at incredible skyline views from the expansive waters of Lake Michigan. Cruises depart daily, May through October.

These half-day bus excursions celebrate the history, stories, traditions, and most importantly, the people of our great city. Tours departing weekly from the Chicago Cultural Center. Explore Chicago's neighborhoods with local tour guides. All tours are conducted by motorcoach and by foot, and depart from the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 East Randolph Street. Check in at 9:30 am in the main seating area behind the Randolph Cafe. Unless otherwise specified, tours do not include lunch or refreshments. All tours are $30 for adults and $25 for seniors/students/children, with the exception of Taste of the Neighborhoods ($50/$45). Cash and major credit cards are accepted. Chicago Neighborhood Tours is presented by the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture.

Get an insider’s look at this historic American landmark that has enchanted baseball fans for almost a century. Each 90-minute guided tour shows guests the clubhouses, bleachers, press box, dugout, field, and more.

Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, this 264,000 sq. foot building provides a new home for the museum’s renowned collections of modern painting and sculpture, contemporary art, architecture and design, and photography. Be among the first to see this dramatic addition that makes the Art Institute of Chicago the second largest art museum in the United States.

The Second City opened its doors on a snowy Chicago night in December of 1959, and has since grown to become the world’s premier comedy club, theatre and school of improvisation. The Second City has launched the careers of John Belushi, Mike Myers, Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell and many others.

The Second City opened its doors on a snowy Chicago night in December of 1959, and has since grown to become the world’s premier comedy club, theatre and school of improvisation. The Second City has launched the careers of John Belushi, Mike Myers, Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell and many others. Dinner/show packages available. Call or log on for specific show information.

Located in the Hyde Park neighborhood on the University of Chicago campus, the Oriental Institute Museum showcases the history, art and archaeology of the ancient Near East. Permanent collections focus on ancient Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria and Turkey. World-famous collection of artifacts from the ancient Middle East, including a recreation of an Assyrian palace and a 17-ft.-tall statue of King Tut.

More than just a body, you are a complex blend of your choices, your personality, and your environment. Who you are depends on how you care for yourself and enjoy your life. YOU! The Experience brings these elements together into an interactive exhibit examining and celebrating the experience of life itself. It is one of the first and largest exhibitions to showcase the connection between the human mind, body and spirit in the 21st century. Start exploring the exhibit's fun and fascinating opportunities to explore what it is to be … YOU!

The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago presents Science Storms, an unprecedented and dramatic permanent exhibit in the Allstate Court that reveals the extraordinary science behind some of nature’s most powerful and compelling phenomena—tornadoes, lightning, fire, tsunamis, sunlight, avalanches and atoms in motion. Inside the 24,000-square-foot exhibit, you’ll investigate the basic scientific principles responsible for nature’s biggest wonders while you get a hands-on, up-close look at these wonders themselves. Science Storms puts you in the middle of the action and lets you search for answers as to how and why things happen in nature.

3-2-1 Blast off! Get ready for the ultimate planetary play date. The Adler's new permanent exhibition Planet Explorers allows families with children ages 3 - 8 take the helm in this modern-day space adventure. Children will enter a world where they can play and learn what it takes to be part of a mission to outer space. They will become scientists, astronauts, and space explorers. Imagine studying the Moon from your own backyard with your very own telescope. Be a Mission Control specialist guiding the next rocket flight into space, or climb a gantry like a real astronaut and blast a 26-foot tall rocket off to new worlds. In the space station, learn how to operate the robotic arm to do important tasks and take a very special walk into space. Try your hand at planet exploration by driving rovers over the Planet X terrain. Drive X-Movers, crawl through and discover secret tunnels, and do cool experiments in the Planet X Lab. Free with general admission.

Explore Chicago's lakefront, museums and parks on a three-hour Segway tour led by guides all year round. Steve's Segway Tours was started by a tour guide, is owned by a tour guide, and is managed by tour guides. Why is this so important? Because only a tour guide truly understands that great tour guides put their heart and soul into each tour.

Broadway In Chicago presents the hottest shows in Chicago's bustling Downtown Theater District. On the stages of the Oriental Theatre, Cadillac Palace Theatre, Bank of America Theatre, Auditorium Theatre and Broadway Playhouse, you will discover theater productions direct from Broadway, along with world premieres.

See sharks glide through underwater gardens of iridescent corals and garden eels. Wander through a lagoon and mangrove forest, and visit a fishing village where residents saved their reef from destruction.

The city’s second-tallest building, located at 200 E. Randolph St., rises 82 floors. Interestingly, the structure was first clad entirely in marble, but the slabs turned out to be too thin and were later replaced with thicker slabs of white granite.

This complex, designed by Bertrand Goldberg, includes two corncob-shaped residential towers perched along the Chicago River. Designed to be a “city within a city,” Marina City includes a restaurant, theatre, bowling alley, and a marina for 700 small craft.

Located on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology, S.R. Crown Hall is widely regarded as Mies van der Rohe's masterpiece, and is one of the most architecturally significant buildings of the 20th century Modernist Movement.

No dinosaur in the world compares to SUE—the largest, most complete, and best preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered. Get the inside scoop on SUE and the science behind the world's most famous T. Rex. Terror has a new appetite!

Recipient of the 2008 Regional Theatre Tony Award, Chicago Shakespeare Theater offers a broad spectrum of theatrical experiences year-round, engaging and entertaining audiences from all walks of life and from around the world. The plays of William Shakespeare form the core of our company's work and Subscription Series, featuring selections from Shakespeare’s 38-play canon complemented by other dramatic works—from traditional classical theater to new classics that resonate with Shakespeare’s timeless insights into the human condition.

The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show is very different from traditional murder mystery dinner shows. We will hide non-costumed actors in the audience that are pretending to be part of the crowd. This results in a much more social and interactive evening than with other shows. Our shows are set during the present day and take place in real time. Over the course of the night, our costumed Detectives will uncover clues, interrogate audience members that may or may not be part of the show, and help everyone get closer to solving the mystery.

Discover Chicago at your pace, on your schedule! Explore the city’s most popular destinations with MetroWalkz Self-Guided Walking Tours. Designed specifically for your mobile device, each of our free, fun and informative tours contain easy-to-use maps and insider narratives, making sightseeing a breeze. Current tours include The Magnificent Mile, Loop Architecture, Millennium Park, Navy Pier, Museum Campus, Grant Park, Chinatown, Old Town, Gold Coast and the West Loop. Chicago is known as a city of neighborhoods, and it is best seen on foot. To take our FREE self-guided walking tours, just open your mobile browser and go to www.evisitorguide.com/chicago, then “Tours” > “MetroWalkz”. To get the most out of your Chicago visit, use eVisitorGuide’s other features including information on museums, attractions, dining, nightlife, shopping, theater and much more. With eVisitorGuide and MetroWalkz, everything you need to discover Chicago is in the palm of your hand!

One of the best Japanese art galleries in the world outside of Japan. Elias Martin's knowledge and passion will educate you and amaze you. A must see in Chicago. Established in 1987, specializes in Japanese fine art with a focus on 20th century woodblock prints by Shin Hanga and Sosaku Hanga artists.

Experience history and culture through educated commentary and multimedia on iPads while exploring stories and places even locals don't know about. Highly trained guides share forgotten stories from the past on regularly scheduled tours.

Located in the famed Biograph Theater, one of Chicago's most celebrated historic landmarks, Victory Gardens Theater was the recipient of the 2001 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Victory Gardens is dedicated to presenting the work of great contemporary playwrights.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place is operated by Broadway In Chicago, a Nederlander Presentation. Located at Water Tower Place in Chicago, Illinois, it was formerly known as Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place.

Located in the acclaimed Lakeside Center in Chicago's renowned McCormick Place Convention Center, the Arie Crown Theater features a 4,249 seat proscenium arch venue. For over 50 years, the Arie Crown has hosted thousands of Corporate, Civic and Public events featuring many of the most prominent companies and celebrated artists in the world.

Housed in the historic Water Tower Water Works, this award-winning, local ensemble has offered dynamic, physical, intellectual theater since 1989. The main stage will allow Lookingglass to reconfigure the stage and audience seating as dictated by the needs of each production, allowing for a maximum capacity of 270 persons, 60 of whom may be seated at the balcony level.

Located in the center of the Magnificent Mile, and steps from the Michigan Avenue Bridge, The Wrigley Building has been a hallmark of Chicago’s skyline since 1920. Designed as the headquarters for the successful chewing gum, the building was modeled after the Seville Cathedral’s Giralda Tower in Spain. Today, it is still home to Wm Wrigley Jr. Company, and is perhaps best known for its dazzling white towers that illuminate the city at night.

Home of the Chicago Tribune newspaper offices, this Gothic-Revival landmark features flying buttresses and gargoyles This is a result of New York architects John Mead Howells and Raymond M. Hood's design that was chosen as a winner out of 263 entries from twenty-three countries during an international architectural competition to immodestly "erect the most beautiful building in the world" in 1922.

The creation of Harold Washington Library Center is a product of a widely publicized architectural competition. Designed by Tom Beeby, the red brick, granite, and glass composition uses traditional design motifs to establish itself as a civic structure. A two-story battered granite base supports a five-story brick body punctuated by five arches along State Street and three facing Congress and Van Buren. The Harold Washington Library Center is a hybrid design that reflects the conflicting architectural ideas that characterized the late 1980s.